It's never too late to ask

Arlene Heraghty, 20, who will shortly start her second year of a course in primary school teaching at Bangor, went through clearing last summer because she applied late.

"I left the course I was doing at home in Ireland after a year because I was unhappy. I'd been thinking about teaching for a long time and had heard about Bangor from a friend. I called and spoke to the head of department, who asked me over for an interview. From the minute I arrived, and the first person I met (my taxi driver), I loved the place and the people. Everyone was exceptionally friendly.

It was at the end of August when I went for the interview. I was asked to explain why I wanted to be a teacher, what my strong points were and why I thought I'd be good at it. They also wanted to know why I chose to study in Bangor, and why I left my previous course. A few days later I got a letter saying I had been accepted.

It all happened so fast that it felt too good to be true. I was booked to go on holiday after that, and when I returned, I had to go straight to Bangor. The main halls of residence were all full, but they managed to get me a place in halls on the education site. Despite starting the entry process so late, I only arrived two days after everyone else.

I felt a little bit homesick at first but everyone was so friendly, and I love the course. Teaching practice has been particularly enjoyable, when we were all sent out to different schools. Then we had assignments and exams, but up until Easter, we had a fair amount of spare time. There is a good nightlife here and I've made really good friends. The education site is known for being very sociable. It's neither too big a city, nor too small. You always bump into people you know, but you won't know everybody. I live about 10 minutes from the town centre, where I often go out clubbing. My advice for anyone considering clearing this year is this: don't ever think it's too late. Ring up and ask. Admissions staff are there to help you, not out to get you."